Kurdistan’s Weekly Brief May 24

Turkey (Bakur or North of Kurdistan)

Turkish fighter jets bombed Qandil area in Medya Defense Zones again. The half-hour long attack started on May 19 at 2100 evening and targeted Buriska, Levce and Enze villages’ peripheries. Local sources report no casualties in the attack in which dozens of missiles and bombs were used, but vineyards and orchards belonging to the villagers suffered damages.

The proposal for the removal of parliamentary immunities has been accepted with 376 votes in favor, 140 against, 5 abstentions, 7 blank and 3 invalid. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has gathered for a situation assessment after the adoption of the “coup” proposal introduced by the ruling party (AKP) and approved by the CHP and MHP on the basis of an anti-Kurdish alliance. The development came after two rounds of voting on the articles in the Constitutional amendment proposal to lift parliamentary immunities earlier today.

HDP co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş made a statement to the press in the wake of the lifting of parliamentary immunities, a “coup” proposal introduced by the rulling party of AKP and approved by the CHP and MHP on the basis of an anti-Kurdish alliance. Figen Yüksekdağ stressed that; “A historic process has passed and a historic intersection has been crossed. Some have overcome this process holding their head high. Some others, on the other hand, consider themselves as having overcome this process by strengthening the repressive and authoritarian politics.” While HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş underlined that; “None of our colleagues will accept the request of prosecutors and courts to testify. Nobody should expect us to accept this coup which imposes an open dictatorship.”

Video: Turkish soldiers continue their provocations on the border line between Qamishlo and Nusaybin. The soldiers crossed 50 meters into the border and started digging ditches. Rojava administration has not yet made a statement on this attempt by the Turkish soldiers.

Syria (Rojava or West of Kurdistan)

CENTCOM Commander Joseph Votel and other US military officialsvisited Kobanê and met with Democratic Syria Forces commanders and political officials. US President Barack Obama’s Special Envoy Brett McGurk confirmed Votel’s visit to Rojava and wrote “General Votel was in Syria when ISIS was hiding in the dark” on his twitter account.

A Rojava representation office is being opened in the French capital Paris. After the Moscow, Stockholm and Berlin, a Rojava representation office is being opened in the French capital Paris.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Media Center stated that international coalition warplanes bombarded the ISIS positions to the southeast of Eyn Îsa at 19:10 on May 21. A military vehicle with a machine gun mounted on it was destroyed during the bombardment and 2 ISIS were killed.

Five people were killed and18 injured by a suicide bomber targeted a restaurant in a Christian neighborhood in Qamishli.

ANHA: Frequently breaching the Rojava-Northern Kurdistan border, the Turkish soldiers continue their provocations on the border line between Qamishlo and Nusaybin. The soldiers crossed 50 meters into the border and started digging ditches. Rojava administration has not yet made a statement on this attempt by the Turkish soldiers.

Iraq (Bashur or South of Kurdistan)

In a statement released on Wednesday, the international coalition against Islamic State terrorist group announced 17 new airstrikes conducted against the group in Iraq and Syria. The statement provided that the U.S.-led coalition executed 11 airstrikes against the organization in Iraq, taking out targets in Mosul, Fallujah and Anbar.

Hevêrk, a film on the tragedy of Êzidîs, received the Viewer’s Choice Award at the 69th International Cannes Film Festival. Director Rûken Tekeş stated that she wanted to portray the tragedy of Êzidî Kurds.

NRT: The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Change Movement (Gorran) have agreed to appoint joint leadership in order to implement their mutual articles of agreement. Following a meeting with PUK members, Gorran Spokesman Shorish Haji said the activity of the committee established to implement the PUK-Gorran agreement was discussed. Haji said both parties will work to explain the points and articles of the agreement to the public to demonstrate the benefit of the agreement.

Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received a senior British military delegation, headed by Lieutenant-General Tom Beckett. The visiting delegation praised the role of the Kurdistan Region military forces, the Peshmerga, in the fight against terrorism and reiterated UK’s support for the Kurdistan Region.

Iran (Rojhelat or East of Kurdistan)

HRANA News Agency – Last Wednesday a young Kolbar was shot dead, by the police forces, on the Uremia border to Turkey. According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Police forces has gun downed a young Kolbar and without applying regulation or any prior warning shot this resident of Firoozan village which resulted in his death.

According to a report by Rudaw: Unemployment in Iran’s Kurdistan Province affects everyone, even shopkeepers. As Iranian Kurdistan goes through a financial crisis, shopkeepers also suffer. Iranian Kurdistan’s weak economic foundation means that large numbers of Kurds are jobless.